Apparatus for propelling boats by the action of air



UNITED sTATEs PATENT OEETOE.

lTAMES BLACK, OF ORANGEVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING BOATS BY THE ACTION OF AIR. i

Specification of Letters Patent N o. 8.50, dated July 24, 1838.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, JAMES BLACK, of Orangeville, in the county Of Columbia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Machine for Propelling Boats On Canals and other Places by the Action and Pressure of the Air, called FBlacks Pneumatic Engine for Propelling Boats, which is described as follows, reference being had to the annexed drawings `of the same, making part Of this specification.

This machine consists Of a circular case Or chamber A, Figures l and 3 with one, two, Or three outlets in the circumference thereof surrounded by spouts B in lines the tangents to thecurve of the circular case and turned` back toward the stern of the boat having a number of curved buckets C, Fig. 2, planes in each of said tubes or outlets curving Or inclining toward the stern of the boat. Likewise in having an inlet D at each end Of the case similar to those in a wheat fan in diameter about one half that of the chamber and having likewise in the center of said chamber a shaft E with wings F at right angles forming a fan which turns close to the inside of the chamber but not touching it. When the boat or vessel is to be propelled this fanis turned with great velocity by means of a steam engine geared to it by bands and pulleys which fan drives the air admitted at the ends of the case out at the tangential tubes in the 'periphery thereof over vthe inclined Or curved buckets causing the vessel to move in a contrary direction to that at which the -air escapes which is in the direction of the stern. As fast as the air is forced by the revolving fan out at the tangential tubes from the circular chamber or case the space that it occupies is instantly filled by fresh air admitted JAMES BLACK.

' Witnesses:V i Y WM. P. ELLIOT,

' J. B. WOOD. 

